It's time to start discussing the 2012 draft. Sadly no 1st rounder, but there is talent is every round. Let's look at our potential needs.

LT
TE
RB
WR (slot)

DE
NB
FS

I would say linebacker,left tackle (if Baker doesn't work out ) and def end would be the highest needs. I believe ABE doesn't have to much longer on his contract. Left tackles the good ones usually go in the first round. Abe could be resigned or extended since pass rushing def ends are also very hard to find. Linebacker,we can find one in round 3-7. We also don't have a 4th rounder either.

Basically if Baker doesn't step up left tackle could be the biggest need but def end is right up there also.The other positions you can find quality throughout the draft.Why FS? Decoud seems to be doing a reasonable enough job.

I'm not sold on our linebacker coverage. Spoon can be good but Lofton and Dent don't bring anything to the table in coverage vs backs coming out of the backfield. Sure we need players who can stop the run but pass defense is where we get lit up. A better pass rush will help alot but linebackers need to cover also. I think we need one more good all around linebacker. Dent was a olb before he moved inside yet might be average at best in coverage.

I don't think we'll start him week one next season, but he'll get some reps and starts as the season wears down. I believe if you're drafting a 4-3 OLBer in the 3rd round, you better be counting him to start sometime down the road. I highly doubt starting him over Peterson will make our defense worse.

CB is our #1 position of need imo. If a guy like Minnifield is there in the 2nd I'd be happy with that pickup. There's a few other nice CBs that people have pointed me towards in other threads, so I think we can find one, but I think throw him into the fire instead of this whole give them 3 seasons to become a flop thing would be much better.

It'd be nice to get a long armed DB out there someone in the mold of Franks, and honestly Franks may be able to play if he's given the every down spot on the outside and is used more in press man than he is in off coverage, he's sticky like Grimes always was, before Grimes started really settling in and breaking up passes he was abused similarly to Franks.

Franks was all over AJ80 when he was asked to cover him, AJ just made a couple of great catches, that deep ball comes to mind. If given a shot to play every down I could see him being a success story akin to Grimes.

I'd really like to hit on some picks this year, because last year was a complete waste outside of Julio and Quizz. I hated the 'value' where we picked and I hated the pick of Dent that early. I'm really hoping we'll find some gems this year, and we can find a great CB in the 2nd or 3rd, that'd be really nice. Another Asante Samuel

What do you guys think about Chris Polk from Washington, or maybe someone like Chris Rainey. A back with good hands that could really make some mismatches. I think Turner is going to be gone sooner rather than later, and I don't think that Rodgers is our answer at RB, that's why I mention a guy like Chris Polk.

Right now, and of course this may change over the course of the next few months of combine / senior games etc.

Trumaine Johnson - Montana. I want to draft that kid. I know we've looked at Montana a lot lately, Kroy worked, Shann sucks, but I like this guy, he jumped out at me about a month ago maybe two, not sure, but I've been rooting for him in the 2nd round for a while now privately in my mind. Nice to see that I'm not the only one who thinks he's got the skills and at a rare size to play corner in the NFL.

Obviously without a DC being named at this point it's going to be hard to tell, and there are other great positions of need, RG (if Mike Johnson doesn't pan out) CB, TE, all are areas I think should be addressed this year.

Part of me hates not having a first round pick and part of me loves it. Just means we're really going to have to hit on a couple of picks hopefully 2nd and 3rd this year.

Round 2 Radar:
CB-
Brandon Boykin
Trumaine Johnson
Donnie Fletcher

TE-
Orson Charles
Michael Egnew

DE-
Jared Crick (not likely to be there at all, but I really like what he can bring)
Vinny Curry

OG-
Brandon Brooks (Absolutely Massive, and I'd love to have an immovable force out there, I think Coach B could help him achieve his potential)
Kevin Zeitler (I love Wisconsin Offensive Linemen)

OT-I want a LT so badly, but Svitek performed very well shutting out Jared Allen, but he's been up and down, and I want that franchise LT, that being said, I'm not sure we find it this year, and even tougher to find in the 2nd.
Andrew Datko
Mike Adams (not likely to be there in the 2nd)

RB-not top priority but I would like to see a real speedster CoP back because I think in the next couple of seasons we're going to see Quizz take over as a primary back and we're going to need 2 backs big time.
Chris Polk
LaMichael James
***later round sleeper***Vick Ballard, I love the way this kid plays the game and if he's there in round 5 or 6 he'd be at the top of my list.

S- I love the Safety position and think upgrading Decoud is going to be a big part of making this defense a lot better, that being said there aren't a lot of guys to consider in the 2nd round, but I do like:
Harrison Smith

Can't comment on the defense until we know what coach is coming in. Scheme could change radically.

You're right I fully expect a radical change, that's why I'm not sure on the CBs as you can see I've got several different types of CB listed there. I also think Decoud is a goner, I don't think he's going to stick around.

Now we know Nolan is the guy, but we don't know about his scheme or anything like that at this point, what he's going to actually put on the field for ATL. Can still speculate about potential upgrades.

I think Nolan coming in might be the end of Grimes, cause I think he's going to want more physical corners out there, so Robinson will fit, I also think Johnson will fit well, he's used to CBs with some size after being in Miami.

As far as OLBs are concerned if we swap to the 3-4 I think Spoon will undoubtedly be one of them, and I think Sidbury would be my leading candidate for the other spot. Kroy obviously has a lot of athletic ability as well and could prove a great asset. I just don't see a potential NT on this roster, maybe Porkchop, but I'd be a bit surprised if he could become a serious space eater.

Ah well, lots to figure out over the next few weeks and hopefully we'll get some info with what defense we'll put out there, but for now, let the speculation begin!